Track-shifting machine.



H. T. DEVITT. TRACK SHIFTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 190a. 9'7 8,858.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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Patented M020, 1910.

H. T. DEVITT.' v TRAGK SHIFTI NG MAGHINE. APPLICATION FILED MA 7, 1908.

HENBY T. DEVI-T1, OF ST. REGIS, MQNTANA Specification of Letters Patent.Application filedMay Z, 1908. Serial no. 4e1 qsa.

'mAoK-smr'rme Macrame.

Patented nee. so, 1910-,

- To all whom it. may concern: I

Be it known that I, HENRY T. Dnvrrrr, a

citizen of the United States, residin at St. Regis, in the county ofMissoula and gtate of Montana, have invented a new and usefulTrack-Shifting Machine, of which the following is a specification.My'invention relates to track shifting machinery, particularly designedfor railway construction work, although not necessarily limited thereto.4

The primary object of the invention is to providea relativelysimple/portable, easily operating machine, movingninder its own powerupon the track, which it is designed to shift, and so constructed thatit will raise the track, shift it and lower it to a new position, themachine still remaining in place upon the shifted track so that it maybe immediately moved to a new place of operation.

Another object is to provide means as above described which will shiftthe track without having to disconnect the rails at the joints at spacedintervals, as is usual with constructions ordinarily used for thispurpose. I

A-further object is to rovide a machine in which the power shall e mosteffectively upon the operating mechanism.

WhatI regard as, the best embodiment of my mechanism is shown in theaccompanying drawings, wherein v Figure 1 is a plan view thereof. 2 is aside elevation. Fig. 3 is a section on the line XX of Fig. .1. Fi 4 is atransverse section on the line ZZ 0 Fig. 2, and Fig. '5 is a detailfcrosssectionof the means engaging the jack-screw.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawingsby the same reference characters.

Referring to these figuresit will be seen that my track shiftingapparatus is mounted upon a truck or car A, consistin of two rectangularframes 1 and 2 s ace from each other,.but rigidly connecte by theconnecting members E, located near to, but on either side of thelongitudinal axis of the truck A.

Each of the frames is supported on wheels .which are adapted to movealong the track a.

s i til g sleeves are rotated in one direction propelled along the trackby any suitable motive power. Supported on one of the frames, as forinstance, the frame 1, is the floor 4;, upon which the operator stan s,an upon wh ch the operating mechanism for p the track is mounted.

rotatably mounted in bearings 5, 6,, 7 and 8 are the oppositelydisppsed' parallel rockshaftst) and 10.- The middle of each rockshaft isenlarged as at 11 and 12 to form a head for the support of theinternally threaded sleeves 13' and 14;. These sleeves constitute ineffect nuts which engage the Supported upon the frames 1 and 2,andscrew-threaded jack-screws, as will be laterdescribed. 'Each sleevehas a flange 15 on 1ts lower end, and a collar 16 pinned or otherwiseattached to its up er end, each collar 16 bei-n formed with' epre'ssionson its outer surface for engagement with a-- cha n 79 as will helaterde'scribed, whereby the sleeves 13 and 14 are rotated. p In orderto bodily lift the truck and the track, I have provided two verticallegs or standards, and machinery on the truck for raisin the truck sothat it shall be supporte entirely upon the legs,- these legs havingrocklng enga ement with the roadbed, so that they may e tilted to oneside'or the other, means being also provided on the truck engaging withthe legs for controlling said tilting movement. Though I do not wish tobe limited to the construction illustrated in the drawin s, and now tobe described, the legs have re erably the form of j ack-sc'rewsdesignate 18 in the drawings, with which the screw-threaded sleeves "13and l'engage so that as the the will move upward on the screw-threadedlegs and in the other direction they will move (lQWIl thereon to raiseand lower the truck relative to the legs.

The lower end of each leg "or jack-screw is formed or provided with abase-plate 20,

while on its upper end is attached a crossbar 21. Parallel rods 22connect the crossbar 21 and the base-plate and pass through the heads 11and 12 on the rock-shafts 9 and .10, thus the jack-screws are held. froman rotative movement, while the heads, inclu ing the sleeves, 13 maymove up or down i upon the jack-screws. Attached to the under side of.each plate 20 are the oppositely ,disposed foot-plates 24 which arehinged to the base-plate 23. By this means the legs are given arelatively large supporting area at their base. By reason of thefoot-plates ,being hinged they may be readily withdrawn from mudd groundin which they would otherwise be liable to stick.

As a means for tilting or canting the legs 18 so as to shift the truckand track laterally, I provide means for rocking the shafts 9 and 10 asfollows :The ends of the shafts 9 and 10 are each turned downward toform arms 25 and 26. These arms are connected to operating levers 27 and28 by connecting rods These levers 27 and 28 are pivoted upon sectors 30having the usual arcuate.

racks thereon, the levers 27 and 28 being each provided withspring-latches engaging with the sector racks as is common and wellknownin constructions of this character. By this means the levers 27 and 28may be turned to any desired angle and held in this position, it beingobvious that the turning of the levers will cause the turning movementof the shafts 9 and 10, which in turn will cant the legs or jack-screwstosuch position as that shown in Fig 3 forinstance. It will be obviousthat. there maybe some unevenness, or some other reason, which willrender it necessary that the legs shall not have the same angle andhence I have provided the independent means for canting the legs.

As a means for engaging the rails of the track so that the track may beraised when the truck is elevated I have provided track gripping memberswhich are loosely connected to the shafts 9 and 10 and which at theirlower ends are provided with jaws adapted to be closed upon the track.In detail and in its preferable form the construction consists of theU-shaped saddles 31which embrace the shafts 9 and 10 on each side of theheads 11 and 12 of these shaft-s, these U- shaped members depending fromthe shafts and being open at their lower ends. Passing over andsupported upon each saddle is a strap 32, the ends of which arepivotally connected as at 33 to the oppositely disposed rail grips 34which extend downward, and are inwardly turned at their lower ends as at35 to form gripping jaws adapted to engage beneath the head of the raila. It is to be noted that each of the rail grips 34 increases laterallyin size. toward the jaws 35 so that the outer faces of the rail gripsare upwardly and inwardly inclined. Embracing each pair of rail grips,and movable vertically thereon is the collar 36, each collar beingprovided with the upwardly extending link 37 pivoted thereto, which linkat its upper end is pivoted to the outwardly turned arms 39 ofrockshafts 40 and 41 which are carried in bearings 42 upon the frames 2and The ends of these shaft-s 40 and 41 are formed with sector gears43which engage with each other as shown clearly in F ig.. 1. One of theshafts, as for instance, the shaft 40, is provided with an upwardlyprojecting arm 44 which is connected to an operating lever 45 by a link46, the operating lever being pivoted to a toothed or notched sector 47,and the operating lever 45 being provided with a catch which engageswith the teeth of the sector so as to hold the operating lever set inanydesired position. By operating lever 45 it will be obvious that therock-shaft 40 will be rocked, which in turn, through the gears 43, willrock-the shaft 41 so that the arms 39 will all be raised, or all belowered simul-' taneously. There are of course, four arms 39, one foreach of the four rail gripping devices. WVhen the shafts 40 and 41 areoperated the collars 36 will be raised or lowered, each of the railgrips 34 being provided wit-h projecting lugs 48, as best seen in Fig.3, which will limit the upward movement of these collars. When thecollars are moved upward upon the rail grips the spring 49 will forcethe rail grips apart and thus the jaws will be disengaged from the railsa. WVhen the collars 36 are forced downward they will contract the grips34 and force the jaws positively into engagement with the rail and whilein this position will positively prevent the jaws from opening andbecoming disengaged from the rail,a very important point when the weightof the track structure and of the truck is remembered. In addition tothis function of the lugs or stops 48, they have-another function. Thelugs are placed upon the rail grips so that when the collar 36 is raisedinto contact with the lugs, the "collar will raise the rail grips abovethe top of the rails so'that when the car is moving the grips will nottouch any obstruction which may happen to be on the road-bed at Y theside of the rail.

In addition to the rail gripping devices just described, which arecarried on either side of the middle of the truck, I provide additionalrail-gripping devices located at. each end of the truck, whereby thewheels 63 of the truck may be prevented from leaving the track when therails are shifted, and thus will be maintained in engagement with thetrack throughout the shifting and lowering of the same, thus obviatingthe necessity of replacing the truck upon the track after the shiftingoperation has been concluded.

WVhile I might use various means for this purpose I prefer theconstruction now to be described, which includes the oppositely disposedparallel rock-shafts 50 and 51 mounted in the bearings 42. Theserock-shafts extend over the framesl and 2, and each rock shaft isprovided with the outwardly projecting. arms 52.

Mounted on the upper faces of the journal boxes 53 of each truck (which,through the springs 54 support the frames 1 and 2) are the U-shapedmembers 55, these members be ing. pivotally mounted upon each of thejournalg boxes and extend downward and inward, and are provided at theirlower ends with a connecting rod or cross-bar 56,

which retains the two arms of the U-shaped members in rigid relation.The lower ends of these arms 55, below the connecting member 56 are eachprovided with rotatable disks 57 which are so shaped as to engagebeneath the head of the adjacent rail, these disks beby means of sectorgears so that they will be simultaneously rotated in the same manner asare the shafts 40 and 41 previously described. The extremity of eitherone of the shafts 50 or 51, as for example the shaft 50, is providedwith an upwardly extending arm 59 which is connected by a rod 61 to alever pivoted to a notched sector 62 and provided 'with a spring latchengaging the notches of the sector, as usual in this class of devices,whereby the lever may be held in any desired adjusted position. It willbe obvious that by moving the lever 60 in one direction, the disks 57will be forced beneath the head of the rail, and by moving the lever inthe other direction, the disks 57 will be withdrawn from the head of therail. After the rail has been gripped by means of the grips 34,previously described, the ends of the truck are connected to the railsby means of the rail engaging devices 55 and 57, and

thus the truck along practically its whole extent is engaged with therails. The disks 57 which form the rail gripping means at the ends ofthe truck are at all times in engagement with the track when the car-isin service, shifting track, the disks having a rotating engagement withthe track. In addition to forming the rail engaging means for thepurpose previously described, these end rail engaging devices keep thewheels in contact with the rails when moving over the track that isbeing shifted. Very often on uneven ground, one rail of the track willhave an elevation of from ten tothirty-five degrees and the disks areprovided to keep the wheels on the track. These disks 35 are spacedapart sufliciently so that in the fish plates at the joints of therails, one disk will be under the ball or head of the rail, while theother is passing the connecting fish plate. It will seen that the useassing of these disks is very important as by that means the car mayproceed over track which has been partly shlfted and which is tilted atsuch an angle to the horizontal that the car would otherwise be liableto be derailed.

upon the frame 1 is the transversely extend- 111 power shaft 64 which.is mounted'atits en s in bearin s65, and which is connected by a belt or0t ier power transmitting mechanism to an engine or motor 81 of anysuitable or desired description. At each end of :the shaft 64 areprovided a pair of chain drums 66 which are loose u on the shaft 64. Thedrums of each pair of ruins are spaced from each other by means of asleeve...67 which is preferably pinned upon the shaft 64.

Mountedupon each end of the shaft 64 is a pair of friction clutches 68designed to engage with one or the other of the drums 66 at that end ofthe shaft. These clutches 68 are connected to each other by a U-sha dconnector 69 so that when one of the clutc es 68 is moved intoengagement with the adjacent drum 66 the other clutch will be moved outof engagement and vice versa. The con.- nectors of both drums areslidably mounted on supports 70, and the connectors of both drums arerespectively connected to levers 71 and 72 by connecting rods 73 and 74.These shipper levers 71 and 72 bein mounted on toothed sectors 7 5 and76, t e levers being provided with latches for engaging the teeth ofsaid sectors, whereby the levers may be held in any adjustedposition. Itwill thus be seen that both ofthe sleeves 13 and l4 may be caused torotate with each other, yet either one of the sleeves may be rotatedindependently of the other, thus ro-' vidin 1 ing evices in case 0unevenness ofthe ground or inclination in the roadbed.

Mounted upon the truck structure adjacent to the lower sides of eachchain drum and the drum ulleys are idlers 78. Chains 7 9 pass around thesleeves 13 and 14 thence pass over the loose drums 66 and thence overthe ulleys v78. It will be seen that power applied to the shaft 64 willcause one or the other of the pulleys 66 (depending upon the position-ofthe clutch 68) to rotate, thereby drawing the chains 79 in one directionor for a proper adjustment of the iftthe other and thusrotating'the-sleeves 13 5 and 14in one direction or the other.

In order to transmit power to the car axle .85 from the power shaft 64,Ihave provided a sprocket chain 82 which passes over a sprocket wheel 83looseon the shaft 64 and which passes over a sprocket 84 on said axlesition.

This sprocket wheel 83 bears on one side against the collar 86 fast onthe shaft 64, while on the other side is a clutch 87*, by which thesprocket 83 may be pressed in en gagement with the shaft 64:, thisclutch being operated by a lever 87 moving over a sector 88 and engagedtherewith in any suitable manner.

The operation of my device will be obvious from what has gone before.The truck is raised to a proper position upon the track, the legs being,of course, in an elevated polVhen the truck is properly positioned uponthe track, the rail gripping devices 34 are engaged with the rails asare the rail engaging disks 57. Power is then applied to one of eachpair of drums 66 which will act through the chain 7 9 to rotate thesleeves 13 and 141 in one direction. As these sleeves are rotated theywill move the jack-screws 18 19 downward until the bases of thejack-screws contact with the ground. As soon as this occurs, the sleevesin their rotation will raise the truck and this in turn will raise'thetrack until the track is suspended upon the jack-screws 18 and 19 at anydesired distance above the ground. When the desired elevation has beenobtained the levers 26 and 27 are moved so as to rock the shafts 9 and10 and can't the screws 18 and 19 to the desired inclination. As thescrews are canted they will, of course, swing the car and tracklaterally, the U- shaped members 31 and 32 acting as slings upon whichthe truck and track are supported. If it is desired to shift the trackto a great distance, it is only necessary to lower the track once more,raise the jackscrews, bring them to a vertical position and repeat theoperation. After that particular section of the track has been shifted,the jack-screws are raised as before described, and the truck under itsown power moves to a new portion of the track and the same op-- erationis repeated.

I have referred above to the rock shafts as being the means whereby thejack screws or legs may be tilted, and the supporting legs canted so asto shift the car and track. I may also, however, use one pair of thesupporting legs as a means for shifting or tilt ing the legs so as toshift the track. Thus if the car and track are to be shifted to theright, shown in the drawings, the legs on the left side of the car wouldbe set at more of an angle than that on the right side of the car, andthis pushing against the road-bed would push the track and car laterallyafter it has been raised. It will thus be seen that great power may besecured not only for elevating the track and car, but for forcing thetrack and car laterally and canting the legs.

By means -of the construction heretofore described, it will be seen thatI provide an apparatus which will successfully and economically shiftrailroad construction, and with relatively great rapidity, as no jointshave to be loosened in order to shift the track. Furthermore, it ispointed out that by the use of the jack-screws as legs, I have aconstruction which when in operation, relieves the operating mechanism,as the drums or engine from any strain, except such as is necessary inorder to rotate the sleeves 13 and 14. WVhen the track is suspendedthere is absolutely no strain upon the engine or the operatingmechanism, the entire weight of the track structure being borne upon thelegs 18 and 19, the screwthreaded engagement between said legs and thesleeves being amply sufficient to prevent the sleeves stripping thethreads of the legs. It will be seen that inasmuch as the legs areraised and lowered entirely by machinery they may be as large asnecessary in order to give them extreme rigidity and stiffness,

which could not be the case, were the legs operated by hand.

- While I have shown what I believe to be the best form of my invention,and most effective for the general purposes for which it is designed, Ido not wish to be limited to the exact construction as shown, as it isobvious that many changes might be made in the embodiment of theprinciples of the invention, as well as in the detailed construction andthe arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I do not wish to be limited either to the means whereby acanting motion is given to the legs, nor to the means whereby power istransmitted to the sleeves 13, nor to. the special type of rail engagingdevices illustrated, as it is obvious that all of these parts might bemodified in many ways to suit special circumstances of operation.

What I claim is:

1. A track moving machine, comprising a car, means for gripping therails and means for raising and shifting and lowering both the car, andtrack simultaneously.

2. A track moving machine, comprising a car, means for gripping therails, means for actuating said gripping means, and means for shiftingthe track.

3. A track moving machine, comprising a car, rail gripping means, meansfor engaging and disengaging said gripping means with the rails, diskshaped elements adapted to engage the inner flange of the rails adja-'cent the car wheels, means for actuating said elements, and means forshifting the car and track simultaneously.

4. A track moving machine, comprising a car, rail gripping meansdepending therefrom, means for holding the car firmly on the rails, andmeans for raising, shifting and lowering the car and tracksimultaneously.

5. In a track moving machine consisting of a wheel supported frame,means for holding the wheels thereof in engagement with the railsforming a part of the track, means intermediate said wheels for grippingsaid rails and means for raising, shifting andlowering both the wheelsupporting frame pending from said car ada ,ted to grip. said taneously,and means-for setting 3.0

rails, means for locking sai gripping means to the rails, and threadedmeans carried intermediate said gripping means for moving both the carand track simultaneously.

8. A track moving machine comprising a car, means for. propelling saidcar, rail grip; ping means depending from said car, means for lockingsaid means, means adapted toengage the rails to firmly hold the carthereon, means for actuating said means, means intermediate saidgripping means for raisin shifting or lowering the car and track andlocking said last mentioned means at any desiredangle.

9. A track shifting machine including a support, track engaging meansmounted on the support, means for raising and lowering the trackengaging means relative to. the support, and means for canting saidsup.- port. 7

10. A track shifting mechanism including a pair of supporting legs,track engaging means supported on the legs, means for raising andlowering the track enga ing means relative tothe legs and means orcanting said legs. I

11. A track shifting mechanism including a supporting leg, trackengaging means sup: ported by the leg but freely depending therefrom,means engaging with the leg for raising and lowering the track engagingmeans relative thereto,'and means for canting the leg to swing saidtrack and track engagin means laterally after they have been raise v12.A track shifting mechanism including a wheeled truck, track grippingmeans on the truck, approximately vertical legs carried upon the truckand adapted to be moved against the roadbed, means engaging the legs forraising and lowering the truck relative thereto, and means for cantingsaid 1 s.

13. A track shifting mechanism inc riding a wheeled truck, legspivotally mounted on the truck having lateral tilting movement, means onthe truck for gripping the track, means for elevating the truck andtrack on said legs, and means for tilting said legs.

14. A track shifting mechanism including a platform, means on theplatform for gri ping. the traclrqto. be shifted, downwar y extendinglegs ..-carried by said platform, means for rai ing and lowering theplatform and track relative to the legs, and means'for canting saidlegs.

1.5. A trackshifting mechanism including supporting legs, means on thelegs for gripp ng the track tobe shifted, means engaging the legs forraising the gripping means and track relatively thereto, and means for Icanting. the legs.

16. A track shifting mechanism including a Wheeled truck, oppositelydisposed supporting legs pivotally mounted on the truck having lateraltilting movement, means on the truck for gripping the track rails, meansfor elevati'ng'the truck and track rails on said support, rock-shaftsfor tilting said legs, and handles extending. from said shafts wherebythe shafts maybe adjustably rotated. i

18. A track shifting mechanism including a wheeled truck, means at theopposite ends ofthe truck for holding the rails of the pending from-themiddle of the truck and adapted to engage the rails of the track,oppositely disposed legs pivotally mounted on each side of the car,means engaging said legs for raising and lowering the truck and track,and. means for canting said legs.

19. A track shifting mechanism including a wheeled truck, track engagingmeans located atithe opposite ends of the truck and adapted to. hold thewheels thereof in firm engagement with the track, oppositely disposed"shafts mounted on the truck and extending longitudinally thereof,oppositely disposed legs mounted on said shafts on eac side of thetruck, means engaging with the legs for raising or lowering the truckrela- 91 truck to a, car, track gripping means detive to the legs, meansfreely de-ending from the shafts for gripping the mi of the track, andmeans for rotating said shafts to cant said legs.

20. A track shifting mechanism including aframe, wheels at the oppositeends thereof,

means adjacent to the wheels for gripping the rails of a, track andholding the wheels firmly to the track, longitudinally extending shaftsmounted on opposite sides of the truck at th}: mgdglle thareolf, saidshafts eatlrh having a. ea orme t ereon o posite y disposed legs passingthrough sai d heads,

vertically movable with relation to the head but rotatably moved withsaid heads and shafts, means on the truck engaging said legs to raise orlower the truck with relation thereto, means on the truck for rotatingsaid shafts and canting the legs, and means freely depending from theshafts for gripping the rails of the track.

21. A track shifting mechanism, a wheeled truck, approximately verticallegs mounted on the truck. track gripping means extending downward fromthe truck, amotor on the truck, elevating means supported on the legsand connected to the truck to support the latter, a driving shaft on thecar, and means operated by the driving shaft engaging the elevatingmeans to operate the latter from the former, and means for canting thelegs after the ear and track have been raised.

22. In a track shifting mechanism, a wheeled truck. means on the truckfor engaging the rails of a track, track gripping means supported on thetruck and depending freely therefrom, oppositely disposed rotatablelifting members rotatably supported on the truck, a motor on the truck,means operated by the motor for depressing the lifting members relativeto the truck, and'thereby raising'the latter, and means on the truckengaging the lifting members to cant. them laterally.

23. A track shifting mechanism including a wheeled truck, means on thetruck for gripping the rails of a track, oppositely disposedscrew-threaded approximately vertical supporting members on either sideof said truck, screw-threaded heads mounted on the truck through whichsaid supporting members pass, means on the truck for rotat ing saidsupporting members, and thereby raising or lowering the truck and track,

, shafts engaging with the supporting members to cant the samelaterally, and means for operating said shafts.

24;. In a track shifting mechanism, a wheeled truck, means on the truckfor gripping the rails of a track, oppositely disposed screw-threadedsupporting members pivotally mounted on each side'of the truck anddepending from the same, interiorly screwthreaded rotatable membersconnected to the truck and engaging said screw-threaded supportingmembers, a motor on the truck, means operatively connecting the motor'and the rotatable members. and means for tilting said supportingmembers and for holding them in any adjusted position.

25. In a track shifting mechanism, a wheeled truck, means on the truckfor gripping the rails of a track, oppositely disposed screw-threadedlegs on either side of said truck, shafts pivotally mounted in bearingson the truck and having enlarged heads, rotatable members interiorlyscrew-threaded and mounted in said heads, said rotatable membersengaging the legs, a motor on the truck, and means for operativelyconnecting the motor with the screw-threaded members.

26. In a track shifting mechanism, a wheeled truck, means depending fromthe truck for gripping the rails of a track, op-

positely disposed rock shafts mounted in bearings on the truck, meansfor rocking said shafts and holding them in any adjusted position, eachof said shafts having an enlarged head, internally screw-threadedmembers rotatably mounted in the heads of the shafts, screw-threadedlegs extending through said rotatable members and engaged thereby, meansfor preventing the rotation of said legs, a driving shaft on the truck,and means for operatively engaging the rotataole members with saiddriving shaft.

27. In a track shifting mechanism, a truck, wheels on opposite ends ofthe truck, track engaging mechanism in opposing ends of the truck forholding the wheels in engagement with the track, oppositely disposedrock shafts mounted on the truck and extending longitudinally thereofand rotated between said wheels, each of said rock shafts having anenlarged middle portion, interiorly screw-threaded rotatable membersmounted in said enlarged portions, screwthreaded legs passing throughsaid rotatable members and engaged thereby, track gripping mechanismfreely depending from the said shafts on each side of the enlargedmiddle portion thereof, a driving shaft, and means operativelyconnecting the driving shaft with the rotatable members to rotate thelatter from the former.

28. In a track shifting mechanism, a truck having wheels at oppositeends thereof, means at opposite ends of the truck for engaging the railsof a track and holding the wheels-thereto, parallel inwardly extendingrock-shafts mounted in the middle of the truck, freely depending railgripping means mounted on said rock-shafts, each of said rock-shaftshaving a middle enlargement, an interiorly screw-threaded rotatablemember mounted in each of the enlargements of the shafts, screw-threadedlegs passing through said rotatable members and engaged thereby, meansfor preventing the rotation of said legs, means for rocking saidrockshafts and holding them in any adjusted position, a driving shaft,drums operatively connected with the driving shafts, and chains passingover the drums and around said rotatable members.

29. In a track shifting mechanism, a truck, wheels at opposite ends ofthe truck, rail engaging devices on the ends of the truck, oppositelydisposed parallel rockshafts at the middle of the truck, each shaftshafts, "interio rlv screw-threaded rotatable members mounted [in theenlarged portions of the rock-shafts,screw-threaded legs passing throughsaid members and engaged thereby, operating levers mounted on the truckand engaging said rock-shafts to independently operatethem, means foroperatively connect-ingfthe driving shaft with the j rotatable members'and means on the truck for independentlypperating the track engagingdevice at the ends 'of the truck, and the rail gripping means at themiddle of the truclr.

30. In a '1 track shifting mechanism, a truck, wheels at the ppositeends thereof, arms pivotally mounted 011 the truck at the endsthereoffand carrying rail engaging members at their lower ends, meansfor moving said arms-to bring the rail engaging members beneath the headof a rail. parallel rock-shaftscarried at the middle of the truck, and,on, opposite sides thereof, U- shaped hangers extending over therockshafts on-eit-herside of the middle portion, rail gripping jawspivotally mounted on said supports, means for forcing said jaws towardeach otherito grip a rall between the interiorly screw-threadedrotatable members, mounted on the rock-shafts, screwthreaded legspassing through said rotatable members andengaged thereby. means forpreventingthe rotation of said legs, levers mounted on the truck forrocking said rockshafts to, tilt the legs, oppositely disposedindependentchain drums mounted on the truck. chamspassing thereover andengaging the rotatable members, a motor. and

means connecting the motor with the chain drums and connecting the motoraxle of the truck wheels. I

31. Inv a track shifting mechanism, a

with the truck having wheels at opposite ends thereof, rail engagingmeans mounted on the ends' of the truck adjacent to the wheels,oppositely disposed longitudinally extendng rock-shafts supported inbearings on the truck, each of said rock-shafts having an enlargedmiddle portion. track, gripping means suspended from said rock-shafts oneither side of'the enlarged middle thereof, a rotatable. member mountedin each of the enlarged portions of the rock-shafts and interiorlvscrew-threaded, screw-threaded legs passing through and engaged by saidrotatable members, means for preventing the rotation of said legs,crank-arms on the rock-shafts, operating levers connected to saidcrank-arms, and means forlocking said operating levers in parallelism, adriving shaft, oppositely disposed pairs of chain drums loose on saiddriving shaft. grooves for each pairrof chain drums andadapted toconnect one of the drums with the shaft and disconnect the other fromthe shaft, idler pulleys, chains passing around the chain ing shaft, andconnections between the motor and the axle of the drum for driving "thelatter. In a track shifting, mechanism. a platform. rock-shafts mountedon the platform, interiorl v screw-threaded members on the rock shafts.screw threaded legs passing through said members, means for relativelyrotating the legs and screw-threaded members, and to relatively raise orlower the same, track gripping devices on the truck, aird means forcanting said legs. i

33. A track shifting device including a wheeled truck. elevatinglegs'mounted on said truck and depending therefrom, track gripping meansdepending from the truck,

means for elevating or lowering the truck relative to the said legs, andmeans for laterall v canting the legs. I j i B4. In a track shiftingmechanism a wheeled truck, oppositely disposed parallel roch-sha'ftscarried by the truck, interiorlv screwthreaded rotatable members carriedon therock-shafts, screw-threaded legs passing through said rotatablemembers, said legs having cross-bars at their upper and lower ends,longitudinal tie-rods engaging said cross-bars and passing through thesaid rock-shafts, means on the truck for rotating said rotatable membersand to raise or lower a the truck, and means on the truckfor grippingthe track. v

35. A. track shifting mechanismincluding two rectangular framesconnected to each other at. their middle, wheelsat oppcsite ends of theframe for supporting the same and engaging with the track, means attheends of the truck for holding the wheels in engagement with the track,opposltelv d1sposed parallel rock-shafts located on each side of themiddle portion of the truck in the space between the two frames andpivotally supported thereon at each end, each ofsaid shafts having anenlarged middle portion, U-shaped members resting on said shafts on eachside of their upper portions thereof,

gripping jaws pivotally mounted on said supporting members and dependmgtherefrom, said gripping aws having an enlarged lower portion. slidingcollars on the gripping jaws for closing the jaws, means on the truckfor raising and lowering said sliding collars, interiorly screw-threadedrotatable members mounted one in each enlarged portion of 'eachrock-shaft. screw-threaded legs passing through the rotatable members,means for preventing the rotation of said legs, means on the truck forrocking said rock-shafts for tilting the legs. motor operated means onthe truck for rotating the rotatable members.

36. In a track shifting mechanism of the character described, oppositelydisposed rail gripping means comprising downwardly extruck, and meansshiftable along the jaws for closing them in one direction or forlifting the jawsvertically upward.

38. In a track shifting mechanism, a wheeled truck, longitudinallyextending sup porting members mounted on the wheeled truck, U-shapedmembers extending over the supporting members and freely rotatablethereon, downwardly extending oppositely disposed jaws on the U-shapedmembers. adapted to engage the rails of the track, means for opening thejaws, and means shiftable vertically along the jaws for closing the jawsagainst the rail or for lifting the jaws and U-shaped supporting membersvertically above the rail.

39. In a track shifting mechanism, a wheeled truck, oppositely disposedtrack engaging jaws pivotally supported at their upper ends and havingfree vertical movement, each of said aws having thelr .outer .facesoutwardly and downwardly inclined,

stops projecting from the jaws, a vertically shiftable collar embracingthe jaws, and means for shifting the collar in either direction to closethe aws against the track or to engage said stops and lift the jawsbodily above the track.

- 40. In a track shifting mechanism, a

ovasss wheeled truck, means on the truck engaging with the road-bed forraising, shifting and lowering the truck, and rail engaging devicesvmounted on the ends of the truck adjacent to the wheels thereof andcomprising arms having rotatable rail engaging elements at their lowerends engageable beneath the head of a rail.

41. In a track shifting mechanism, a truck, oppositely placed wheels atthe ends of the truck, and rail engaging devices mounted upon the truckadjacent to each wheel, each of said rail engaging devices comprising aU-shaped member pivotally supported upon the truck exterior to theadjacent wheel and extending downward and inward to the interior facesof the wheel, the extremities of the U-shaped members being providedeach with a rotatable member engageable with the head of a rail, andmeans for moving said U-shaped members to force the rotatable membersthereon into engagement with the head of the'rail or out of engagementtherewith.

42. In a track' shifting mechanism, a Wheeled truck, means on the truckfor gripping the rails of a track to hold the wheels in engagement withsaid rails, oppositely disposed supporting members rotatably mountedupon the truck, means for elevating the truck upon the supportingmembers, and means for independently canting said supporting members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to the specification in thepresence of subscribing witnesses.

' HENRY T. DEVITT.

\Vitnesses:

I. S. DAVIS, B. F. BERKSTRASSEN, A. W. Ross.

